Printed tape cable connector



Dec. 25, 1962 H.' PIOR'UNN'ECK 3,070,771

PRINTED TAPE CABLE CONNECTOR I Filed Aug. 4, 1959 N\\\\\\\\ 'n n y i. S

@TLF i vs \o 5o n E i INVENTOR.

BY f MV Arme/yay 3,670,771 Patented Dec.' 25,V 1962 fine , r 3,070,771 i PRINTED TAPE CABLE CONNECTOR Heini Pioi'unneck, South Norwalk, Conn., assigner to Gom Electriconlpany, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 4, 1959, Ser; No. l331,669 5 Ciaims. (Cl. 339-174) This invention relates to .a connector of the multiple circuit type, and more particularly to a connector adapted for cooperation with a thin ribbon conductor. As those skilled in the art fully appreciate, ribbony conductors are formed of plastic tape within which a series of thin narrow metal Wire conductors are embedded. This yields a ribbon conductor that is flexible and yet carries a considerable number of separate wire conductors, each adapted for a separate electric circuit.

The connector that I have conceived and which I shall describe and claim in this application, in its preferred form, is only 2% in width, and 5/s of an inch thick, but is adapted for coaction with a ribbon conductor having 27 individual conducting wires each insulated from the other. Workers in the art have for a considerable time attempted to contribute a connector particularly adapted for use with a ribbon conductor of the type I have described. Howevcr, so far as I know, no successful connector has been developed for many reasons. hus, the ribbon conductor is extremely thin in order to be flexible, and the connector itself mu'st be quite small. It is also important that the ribbon be readily inserted after some of the insulating material has been stripped to expose the individual wires, and that contact at the connector between the wires and the connector elements be rm and positive.

It is also important that the ribbon conductor be held within the connector body without the necessity of complicated operating elements,` a-nd that the ribbon be readily releasable for outward movement from the connector body.

Asa feature of my invention, l contribute a simple wed'ging element adapted to permit ready insertion and holding of the ribbon conductor in the connector body, after which the ribbon conductor canv be removedv from the connector body by a very simple manipulation of the wedging elements.

As a particular feature of my invention, l utilize springlike conducting elements within the connector body adapted to be wedged against .the wires of the ribbon, thereby compensating for any irregularities in the ribbon or in the Wed'ging elements. y

As a' further particular feature of this part of the invention, I am able to obtainY contact with as many as twenty-seven wires embedded within the ribbon conductor, all without adjustment. Further, I am able through my construction to obtain immediate release of theribbon by a simple manipulation of but one element carriedby the connector body, while yet effecting good electrical contact with each wire of the ribbon. g

As a further particular feature of my invention, I utilize a series of insulating fingers mounted on a shaft in the connector, there'being a finger for each wire of the ribbon conductor. Each of these fingers is adapted for Wedging movement relatively to the ribbon conductor and is yieldingly urged to Wedging position by spring means, there being preferably a narrow spring for each finger and also each Wire of the ribbon conductor. Ready release of the ribbon conductor is made possible through the simultaneous movement of all of the fingers out of wedging position, the individual springs functioning not only to effect electrical contact with the WiresY of the ribbon but also to compensate for any mechanical irregu-` larities of the fingers or Wires of theiribbon.

l have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be bet"- ter appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate." thatv the conception on which my disclosure' is' based may readily be utilized as a basis yfor the designing' of other structures for carrying out the yseveral purposes of my invention.v lt is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and Vscope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring n'ow t'o the drawings, FIG. 1 is a4 perspective and partial section illustrating thel construction of my connector.

FIG. 2 isa section `along line 2 2 of FIG, 1.

FIG. 3 yis a section taken along line 3 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 1. p

FIG. 5 is a section similar'- to FIG. 4, but showing the fingers in release position. I

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the ribbon conductor with part of the insulation removed to expose the current carrying wires. l

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, my connector body is formed by uniting aupper part 10 tol a lower part 11the cross sections of the two parts being be'stillustrated in" FIGS. 4 arid 5L Asis shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the' upper half 1) isn formed with a series ofslots 9, and Within each of these' slots there is adapted tobe mounted a' Contacty finger 12. lnthe connector I have illustrated, there are two sets of fingers, one set being adapted for cooperation with" a ribbon con'- ductor' entering the connector vbody at one' side, and the other set of fingers being adapted for cooperation with a ribbon conductor entering from the other side. Means are provided to establish circuits between the wiresl of the two ribbon conductors-as will presently appear'.

As those skilled inthe art will appreciate, it ispojssibl'e" to change the formv of tlie connector body'v so`tliat` there will be only one set of fingers for coaction with one ribbon conductor. Circuits will then be established with other types of conductors carried by the connector, such as pins, a printed circuit card, etc. Thus, while I yshall show two sets of ngers for two ribbons, I shall claim lalso theuse of one set. l

Each of the iingers i2 isV fornied'with `an opening 1`5 whereby it maybe mounted on a' shaft 16, prefer-ably for rotation withfthe said' shaft, there being naturally "two of these shafts I6, oneforv each set ofiigr's'., kEach shaft 16 is suitably mounted for rotation in th'e'uppr connector body within a bore 17, and each shaft is formed with a head 18 slotted at 18a so as to be readily rotated by a screw driver.

The upper and lower parts 10, 11 of the connector body are shaped to have formed therebetween openings 19 and 20 into each of which may be inserted a ribbon conductor R. In order to wipe each ribbon conductor as it is inserted into the connector body, the parts 10 and 11 are formed so as to house felt wipers 21 and 22 at each of the openings 19, 20.

The lower part 11 of the connector body is formed preferably with a fiat surface against which the ribbon conductor is to be applied as is probably best illustrated in FIG. 5, once the ribbon conductor is inserted into the connector body. Prior to insertion into the connector body each ribbon R is placed in a suitable machine that cuts away some of the insulation by slotting one surface of the end of the conductor. This forms a series of slots 26 as shown in FIG. 6 and exposes one end of each conductor wire 27 carried by the ribbon R. There are actually also 27 of these conductor wires 27 embedded within the plastic insulation material 28 of which the ribbon R is formed, as already set forth by me. The ribbon R itself is not part of vmy invention, and is well known in the art.

Electrical connection is established between the wires 27 of the ribbon conductor R entering the connector body at one side through opening 19 and a second ribbon R entering at opening 20, through a series of beryllium springs 30. Each spring 30, as well shown in the drawings, is made narrow so as to lie within one of the slots 26 formed by the cutting away of the insulation material 28 of the ribbon R, and to be coextensive with one finger 12. Each spring is further formed so as to be readily actuated by a finger 12 and to be controlled by a finger 12, and also to control its finger 12. Since I use fingers for each ribbon conductor at each side of my connector, I prefer to form each spring 30 to coact with each of two opposed fingers, the spring being also the means for conducting current from one ribbon R to the opposed ribbon R.

As shown in FIG. 4 a typical spring 30 is positioned so as to tend to rotate the righthand finger 12 shown in FIG. 4 in a counterclockwise direction and therefore toward wedging relation to its ribbon R. When a ribbon is inserted, it is obvious that it will contact a portion of the spring 30 in a direction opposed to its normal pressure, thereby tending to move each of the contact fingers into non-wedging position. It may be desirable to apply a screw driver to the slot 18a of the particular shaft 16 carrying the fingers 15 whereby forcibly to move the several fingers out of wedging position to permit the insertion of a ribbon R. Thereafter the individual springs will tend to move all of the fingers 12 together with the particular shaft 16 against the wires 27 of the ribbon to establish contact. It will be quite obvious that the several springs 30 will not only establish contact, but will also compensate for irregularities in the ribbon conductor and the wires 27.

If it be desired to remove the ribbon conductors R, it is merely necessary to apply a screw driver to the slots 18a of the shafts 16 to rotate these shafts in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 5. The springs 30 will now be withdrawn from wedging position relatively to the ribbons R and the ribbons may be removed.

I believe those skilled in the art will now appreciate fully the rather considerable novelty of my connector construction.

I claim:

1. In a combination of the class described, a connector having an opening for the insertion of a thin ribbonlike conductor, a surface along which said ribbon like conductor slides as it is inserted into said opening, a series of wedging fingers, means mounting said fingers for movement on said connector and relatively to said surface in opposed directions in a manner to increase the space between said fingers and surface when said fingers are moved in one of said opposed directions, said fingers wedging toward said surface when moved in the opposite direction, means yieldingly urging said fingers toward said surface and interposed between said fingers and surface so as to make contact with said conductor, and the contact between said conductor ribbon and yielding means when said conductor ribbon moves through said opening into said connector body acting to move said fingers away from said surface to allow insertion of said conductor ribbon, the contact between said conductor ribbon and yielding means when said ribbon is pulled in a direction outwardly of said connector acting to wedge the said fingers, said yielding means and said ribbonlike conductor against said surface.

2. In a combination of the class described, a connector, a wedging finger, means mounting said finger for movement relatively to said connector in opposed directions in a manner to increase the space between said finger and a part of said connector when said finger is moved in one of said opposed directions, said finger wedging toward said part of said connector when moved in the opposite direction, a spring yieldingly urging said finger toward said surface and having a portion thereof interposed between said finger and said portion of the connector body so as to make contact with said conductor ribbon, and the contact between said conductor ribbon and spring when said conductor ribbon moves inwardly of said connector acting to move said finger away from said part of the connector to allow insertion of said conductor ribbon, the contact between said conductor ribbon and said spring when said ribbon is pulled in a direction outwardly of said connector acting to wedge the said finger and spring relatively to said ribbonlike conductor and said connector part.

3. In a combination of the class described, a connector body having an opening for the insertion of a thin ribbonlike conductor having a series of exposed narrow contactmaking surfaces, a shaft, a series of thin wedging fingers on said shaft, guide surfaces between which each of said fingers moves for coaction with the narrow contactmaking surfaces of said ribbonlike conductor, an individual narrow spring yieldingly urging each of said fingers toward a clamping surface of said connector, each spring having a portion thereof interposed between its finger and said clamping surface, and said springs effecting electrical contact with the exposed contact-making surfaces of said ribbonlike conductor.

4. In a combination of the class described, a connector body having an opening for the insertion of a thin ribbonlike conductor having a series of exposed narrow contactmaking surfaces, a shaft rotatable on said connector body, a series of thin wedging fingers on said shaft adapted for coaction with said narrow contact-making surfaces of said ribbonlike conductor, an individual narrow spring yieldingly urging each of said fingers toward a clamping surface of said connector with a portion of each spring interposed between its finger and said clamping surface, and means whereby rotation of said shaft moves all of said fingers away from said clamping surface.

5. In a combination of the class described, a connector body having an opening for the insertion of a thin ribbonlike conductor, a surface along which said ribbonlike conductor slides as it is inserted into said opening, a shaft, a series of wedging fingers on said shaft, guide surfaces between which each of said fingers moves for coaction with particular portions of said ribbonlike conductor, spring means yieldingly urging said fingers toward said surface while interposed between said fingers and said surface, and the contact between said conductor ribbon and spring means when said conductor ribbon moves through said opening into said connector body acting to move said ngers away from said surface to allow insertion of said conductor ribbon, the contact between said conductor ribbon and springs when said ribbon is pulled in a direction outwardly of ysaid connector body acting to wedge the lingers and said spring means and ribbon against said surface.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Staub et al. May 22, 1934 Ayres et a1. Jan. 10, 1956 

